For the first time in a long time, the flag favourite looks “vulnerable”.

Plus, the star Hawk ready to shape September and how the Blues get the most out of Charlie Curnow amid trade talk.

Every club’s burning question ahead of Round 20, as well as the commentators for every Fox Footy game, in our ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!

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AFL ROUND 20 (all times AEDT)

HAWTHORN v CARLTON

Thursday July 24, 7.30pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King and Leigh Montagna, with commentary from Matt Hill, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, Brad Johnson, Eddie Betts & Jon Ralph.

Hawks’ burning question: How much of an impact will Will Day’s return have?

The Hawks have been without arguably their most important player for most of the 2025 season. When Will Day found out about a stress fracture in his foot after the win over GWS in round three, it was a hammer blow for Sam Mitchell’s side. To put Day’s impact into perspective, the star Hawk’s AFL Player Rating this season is 15.73, Hawthorn’s next best, Jai Newcombe is 12.91. Day’s rating has him ranked in the top 15 AFL players for the season, his absence this season has left a huge hole in Hawthorn’s midfield group. The 2023 Hawthorn Best and Fairest has come on in leaps and bounds in recent times, developing into a bonafide A grade talent. And now, he’s back. Day is clearly a star of the competition, but it’s his diversity to the rest of Hawthorn’s midfield group that makes him so important. Newcombe and the likes of James Worpel and Conor Nash love winning a hard ball, but it’s Day’s burst from stoppage, ability to hit the scoreboard and spread that makes him so valuable. The Hawks have a tough run home but are currently ranked 5th on the AFL ladder with a win-loss record of 12-6. And the inclusion of their star midfielder might just give them the boost they need as they charge towards another finals campaign.

Voss insists ‘Curnow a Blue for life’ | 02:05

Blues’ burning question: Is it time to unleash Charlie Curnow?

Charlie Curnow has been in the headlines all week, after multiple reports linking him to a move outside of the Victoria bubble despite being contracted long-term at the Blues. Let’s park that for a moment, because Carlton needs to find a way to utilise him to the best of their ability in the final five weeks of their season. Against Melbourne last week, Curnow was damaging, playing a higher role where he was able to use his athleticism and skill further up the ground to cause problems for opposition defences. That’s the blueprint Michael Voss needs to use, according to North Melbourne champion David King. “I think he can roam more and be of more value to Carlton,” King told Fox Footy’s First Crack. “You just can’t get a reference point to defend him because he’s such an athlete. His ball use is generally pretty good, he’s a beautiful field kick.” Curnow had 13 disposals at half-time last week, more than he has been getting in full games this year. Sure, it meant he wasn’t the one getting the looks on the scoreboard necessarily, but his creativity and ball use was vital in turning Carlton’s winning fortunes around. “The more often you can get the ball in your better players’ hands, the better off you’re going to be,” King said. Emotions will be high given it’s Sam Docherty’s farewell and Jacob Weitering’s 200th match and the Blues will need their star power to fire on all cylinders if they’re to get the job done.

GUILTY! May 3-match ban stands | 01:18

ESSENDON v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Friday July 25, 7.20pm at Marvel Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Garry Lyon, Nathan Buckley and Jordan Lewis, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Cameron Mooney & Jon Ralph.

Bombers’ burning question: Will the Dons tag Bailey Dale?

Bailey Dale got off the leash last time the Bombers took on the Bulldogs, recording a whopping 49 disposals, 1016 metres gained and 11 score involvements. So will Brad Scott send a hard tag to the star Dog this time around? “This is the thing with good teams… right across the board they’re a very good team. I wish it was as easy as saying let’s clamp one player and that’ll take care of everything. If you focus too much on one player you divert your attention away from others who are really influential. It’s going to be a big job for a whole range of players and for our overall structure as a team,” Essendon coach Brad Scott said at his press conference this week. It’s a dilemma that opposition coaches face every week – which star Dog do you need to put the most time into? Dale sets up so much play out of the back half, while captain Marcus Bontempelli is arguably the best player in the competition. According to Champion Data’s AFL Player Ratings system, Ed Richards has been the best player throughout 2025 so far, while Tom Liberatore is as tough as nails and vital to their game plan. Then there’s the two-pronged key forward pairing of Sam Darcy and Aaron Naughton, who are firing on all cylinders right now. We don’t envy the headaches Brad Scott will face on Friday night one bit.

Panel DIVIDED as May handed 3-match ban! | 05:00

Bulldogs’ burning question: Where is Ed Richards most valuable?

Speaking of Ed Richards, Luke Beveridge has a dilemma on his hands, according to Fox Footy’s First Crack panel. Richards has had an outstanding 2025 season and is likely leading the way in the club best and fairest as it stands. But for the betterment of the team, could a mid-season positional switch be on the cards? “They are by far the worst team in the competition at winning ground balls in their own defensive 50. No one wants to actually play on anyone and they all want to peel off and win the footy,” St Kilda champion Leigh Montagna began. “They don’t want to defend at ground level.” That’s why North Melbourne champion David King thinks the Dogs need to have a good think about moving Richards into the back half, to take the pressure off Bailey Dale and shore up their defence. “I know he’s a star factor midfielder and he’s had a great season, but is he more valuable to the team as a half-back flanker?” King posed. The Dogs have a plethora of players to run through the midfield – think Bontempelli, Liberatore, Matthew Kennedy, Joel Freijah, Ryley Sanders and Riley Garcia, but they could do with an added boost off half-back.

Goodwin admits ‘cheeky text’ to Daniher | 01:21

GWS GIANTS v SYDNEY SWANS

Friday July 25, 7.50pm at ENGIE Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 7.30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Leigh Montagna, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch & Ben Dixon.

Giants’ burning question: Are the Giants ruthless enough?

If you just looked at the scores from last week’s clash against Essendon, you’d think the Giants banked the four points and have turned their attention to the Sydney Derby on Friday night. But Richmond champion Jack Riewoldt isn’t yet convinced about the Giants’ credentials. “I just wonder where the Giants are at in terms of the ruthless behaviour against sides that should beat,” he explained on Fox Footy’s On the Couch. “That game was there for the taking for an absolute belting… I’m just not sold on their brand,” he said. Remarkably, the Giants lost the inside 50 count (-4), but their efficiency inside 50 got them out of trouble. A stark contrast to Essendon’s accuracy in front of goal, especially early in the game. At one stage, the Bombers had kicked 0.8 to the Giants’ 7.0. Their record against top eight teams is sound, but given percentage will be so crucial in the race to finals, the Giants will be hoping to boost their percentage on the run home.

Voss shuts down Curnow speculation | 02:02

Swans’ burning question: Can stars spearhead Swans to unlikely September campaign?

It’s becoming harder by the minute for the Swans to feature in September this year, but Dean Cox has finally got the band back together. Isaac Heeney put together what was just about a career-best game against North Melbourne last week, where he racked up 34 disposals, five goals, 13 clearances and 11 score involvements. Errol Gulden’s class has shone through since his return from a long injury layoff, while Chad Warner and Nick Blakey are starting to pick up some momentum. Then there’s ruck Brodie Grundy, who’s returned to the form of his Collingwood days when he was continuously in the conversation for All-Australian. The stars are well and truly shining. The only problem is, the Swans are stuck in 10th position on the AFL ladder with a win-loss record of 9-9. It looks tough, but don’t strike a line through them just yet.

Top 30 draft rankings revealed! | 07:53

GOLD COAST SUNS v BRISBANE LIONS

Saturday July 26, 1.20pm at People First Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 12.30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Anthony Hudson, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch & Ben Dixon.

Suns’ burning question: Can they pass ‘big boy month’ test?

Fox Footy’s Jack Riewoldt coined July ‘big boy month’ earlier this year, explaining the importance of setting a team up for September success. There’s no club in the AFL who need to live up to the hype more in July than the Suns. A 41-point win over Essendon was a tick, before a heart-stopping win over Collingwood a fortnight ago resulted in a massive tick. But against the Crows last week, the Suns “completely failed” according to Riewoldt. Adelaide blew Damien Hardwick’s side completely out of the water in the first half, stamping their own premiership credentials in the process. Now it’s time the Suns step up to the plate again and there’s no better stage to do so than in the QClash against Brisbane. The Lions have won their last three matches against the Suns but now it’s time for Hardwick’s troops to return serve. As it stands, the Suns are eighth on the AFL ladder with a win-loss record of 11-6, but they’ve got a game in hand given their Opening Round clash against Essendon has been rescheduled. An inaugural finals campaign awaits, but they’ve got to show they really have matured and capitalise on the run home.

Ralph: Bobby Hill isn’t going anywhere! | 00:25

Lions’ burning question: Are they priming themselves for another flag tilt?

The general consensus this season are that Brisbane are yet to hit their straps. We’ve seen Collingwood breeze through the 2025 season so far, while Adelaide are the biggest risers this year and have put themselves in contention for the minor premiership. Geelong will be thereabouts as well, while Fremantle, Gold Coast and GWS have also had their moments. Bizarrely, it feels like Brisbane, despite being the reigning premiers, have flown under the radar. The Lions are ranked 2nd on the AFL ladder with a record of 13-4-1, but most importantly, they seem to be peaking at the right time. Their midfield group is absolutely dominating thanks to career-best seasons from Hugh McCluggage and Will Ashcroft, while their defence, led by veteran Dayne Zorko among a host of others like Harris Andrews, Ryan Lester and Jaspa Fletcher, has well and truly clicked. Sure, their front half is still a bit of a work in progress post-Joe Daniher’s retirement, but they’ve banked wins and are starting to flex their muscles as we get closer to September. As highlighted on Fox Footy’s On the Couch, their ball use is daring, they’re as well-drilled as any side in the competition and they’ve got stars all over the park. It’s time we start talking about Chris Fagan’s side as favourites for the flag.

Boak & Greene in agreement on May bump | 01:16

FREMANTLE v WEST COAST EAGLES

Saturday July 26, 4.15pm at Optus Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 4pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Adam Papalia, Matthew Pavlich, Adam Simpson & Will Schofield.

Dockers’ burning question: Have they got another gear to go to?

If the last fortnight is anything to go by, Fremantle have finally clicked. A super come-from-behind win over Hawthorn preceded a thrilling victory against the Pies last week and it seems that Justin Longmuir’s side have broken the shackles of expectation. Perhaps most pleasingly for Longmuir and the Dockers however is that it looks as though they’ve found another gear to their game. “Is this a sneaky little gear that Justin Longmuir has developed that when he needs it, he uses it,” Richmond champion Jack Riewoldt began on Fox Footy’s On the Couch. “It’s a gear you need to have,” Hawthorn champion Jordan Lewis added. “I think it’s a real tick. The good sides sit in the contest for as long as they possibly need to and can, but then once the game gets to a point where you’ve got to take a risk, then you’ve got to have that next gear to go to.” In consecutive weeks, the Dockers have traded their slow, precise ball movement through three quarters to a more exciting, fast brand of footy in the final term and found ways to overrun both the Hawks and Pies. Even Collingwood coach Craig McRae was impressed by it: “they play a good brand of footy when they’re up and going fast, maybe they should play a bit more of that at times, it’s a good version of them”. Should the Dockers play that style more often? It’s unlikely Longmuir would drastically change his game plan mid-season, but his side’s ability to go to another gear should be applauded.

One of Curnow, McKay or Walsh to leave? | 01:30

Eagles’ burning question: Do they deserve a priority pick?

The priority pick discussion is the Eagles question that’s been burning all week. After getting comprehensively beaten by a young Richmond side last week on their home deck, the question is, do the Eagles need some extra help? As highlighted by reporter Jon Ralph on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle, the Eagles have just two top 10 picks on their list and seven top 20 players. Every other club in the country has between four and ten top 10 picks on their list. All bar two others have 10+ top 20 picks. Despite being down the bottom of the AFL barrel for quite some time, the Eagles simply don’t have the depth of top end young talent on their list right now. They’ll likely get a high compensation pick should Oscar Allen depart as a free agent, which could mean they have picks 1 and 2 in this year’s draft. According to Ralph, they’re unlikely to request priority pick help at the top end of the draft and instead ask for “extra rookie picks” giving them the ability to access local Next Generation Academy talent. But that’s a discussion that won’t influence the playing group in the last five weeks of the season. Like they’ve done for the most part under Andrew McQualter this year, the Eagles need to show some fight and determination and who knows, maybe they could cause a boilover or two. Imagine the scenes in Western Australia if they knock off the red-hot Dockers this weekend.

When umps should & shouldn’t pay dissent | 05:09

NORTH MELBOURNE v GEELONG CATS

Saturday July 26, 7.35pm at Marvel Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6.30pm on Channel 504, hosted by Kath Loughnan, Jack Riewoldt, David King & Jay Clark, with commentary from Mark Howard, Dermott Brereton, Nathan Buckley & Cameron Mooney.

Kangaroos’ burning question: Should the Roos go after more leadership?

North Melbourne has made a point that they’re seeking more leadership at the club in recent seasons. Last year, they lured the experienced trio of Luke Parker, Caleb Daniel and Jack Darling to the club, but Richmond champion Jack Riewoldt thinks they need even more. Highlighting vision from young players struggling with decision-making and skill execution in the loss to Sydney, Riewoldt suggested that the Roos throw a hail mary play to one of the game’s greatest.“If I was North Melbourne, I would go and ask Scott Pendlebury, what’s it going to cost?” he said. Riewoldt believes that “errors like this that I think can be fixed by senior players”. The Kangas are well stocked for young talent – they’ve got a competition-high ten top 10 picks on their list and 16 top 20 picks – but now it’s time to surround their young talent with some experienced heads. While Collingwood icon Nathan Buckley believes it would be hard to lure Pendlebury out of Collingwood given he’s on the verge of breaking the games record as a one-club player, Riewoldt said the Roos badly needed to reinforce that part of their list if they are to continue to take the next step.

Emotional Docherty reflects on career | 02:31

Cats’ burning question: What are their ruck plans?

Geelong are humming right now and appear destined to secure another top four finish given a soft run home. Put simply, there’s not a lot going wrong at the Cattery and there’s plenty going right. One dilemma facing Chris Scott and his coaching staff however is what they do in the ruck. Veteran Rhys Stanley has shouldered the majority of the load since round 11, while Sam De Koning began the season as the number one ruck. Then there’s utility Mark Blicavs, who can literally play anywhere on the ground and played big minutes in the ruck when Stanley and De Koning were sidelined. The beauty of this dilemma is all three are versatile and more broadly speaking, the Cats are one of the most versatile teams in the competition. All signs point towards Stanley holding that mantle for the rest of the season, but don’t be surprised if the Cats try a few different things in the final five weeks of the home and away year.

Bont on why new Dogs contract took a bit | 01:05

ADELAIDE CROWS v PORT ADELAIDE

Saturday July 26, 8.10pm at Adelaide Oval

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 8pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Garry Lyon, Mark Ricciuto & Shaun Burgoyne.

Crows’ burning question: Is this crucial number proof they’re a genuine flag chance?If you wanted to refer to one metric that proves the Crows’ premiership candidacy, point to their turnover profile. One of the integral and necessary traits of recent flag-winning outfits, history tells us that you must be able to punish the opposition after forcing a turnover — ideally as close to the goal as possible — and there’s currently no better side doing this in the competition than Adelaide. “They had a dip last year, but they’ve come back with a vengeance. Their turnover numbers are through the roof,” said former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley on Fox Footy’s On the Couch. But they’re also standing up defensively when they give the ball up to the opposition, with their points-from-turnover differential a smidgen better than Collingwood for outright best in the AFL. This season, the Crows have outscored their opposition by 22.8 points per game from turnover; their second-best return in any campaign on record. “(That’s) as good as it gets … Adelaide are holding up when they don’t have control of the game, and they’re absolutely sieving sides when they get an opportunity,” Buckley added. All in all, the Crows rank first for points from turnover with a whopping 61.8 per game, and there are only four better forward-half scoring teams in the league than Adelaide. Matthew Nicks’ side is daunting in transition, and this will be the part of their game to pay closest attention to in September.

Top 4 v Finals: ‘Must-win’ Sydney derby | 02:16

Power’s burning question: Can they pull a Showdown triumph out of the bag for Kenny?

Port Adelaide has lost four of its past five matches against the Crows, who shape as a legitimate premiership threat this season, but it’ll be an emotionally-charged scene on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval as Hinkley graces the blockbuster fixture one last time. And he’ll be hoping he can count on the return of skipper Connor Rozee, who missed last weekend’s game with a fractured hand. The Power have been in mixed form recently, winning three of their past five but losing to Hawthorn last Saturday in Launceston. And a big key this Saturday will be its ability to limit the Crows’ three-headed forward monster — but in a positive omen, Port Adelaide ranks fourth in the AFL this year for preventing opposition marks on the lead. A scary proposition for Hinkley, Josh Carr and co., though, is the fact the Crows are the league’s best turnover-scoring side this year, while the Power have ranked dead-last for turnover-scoring across the past five weeks.

AFLW season 10 launched in Melbourne | 02:20

RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD

Sunday July 27, 2.10pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 1.30pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Matt Hill, Anthony Hudson, Jordan Lewis, Tom Hawkins, Sarah Jones & David Zita.

Tigers’ burning question: Can they turn purple patch into a genuine run?

Richmond has surpassed most people’s expectations this season, with five victories under its belt despite some calls the club wouldn’t win a game at all in 2025. It includes the Tigers tying together wins for the first time this season last week after dominating West Coast in Perth by 49 points following a narrow win over Essendon the week prior. Adem Yze’s side, however, goes from playing the almost-certain wooden spooners to the current ladder leaders in Collingwood at the MCG in a much bigger test and the first meeting between the clubs this season. Though it’s a Magpies side that looks more beatable than it has all season after consecutive losses while missing a few soldiers. “Collingwood obviously provides a different threat, but we’ll go there with some excitement, test the best team in the competition and see how we go,” Yze said after his side’s win over West Coast.

Swann hoping to speed up games | 01:27

Magpies’ burning question: How close are we to pushing the panic button?

We’re not there yet… but certainly not too far off either considering the Pies once looked a virtual certainty to finish on the top of the ladder, yet are now fighting for a top two spot amid a two-game losing streak. It’s significant given dropping to third place would likely mean playing Adelaide or Brisbane away in the first week of finals, then possibly the other, also on the road, in a potential preliminary final. It comes as Collingwood has battled injury issues in recent weeks and balanced it with managing its veterans. Though banking the wins is more important right now than the mechanics of the Pies game, numbers from their last two losses to the Dockers and Suns are of some concern. From Rounds 1 to 12 Craig McRae’s side was ranked No. 1 in the competition in scoring from the back-half, yet it’s managed just eight points (v Fremantle) and seven points (v Gold Coast) in that area over the last fortnight to be ranked No. 14. “That’s a big drop, it means you’re relying heavily on stoppages and playing the game in your half. Their forward connection (against the Dockers) was a bit of an issue and maybe that is part of the reason why their scores from back-half dropped, because it lived in their forward half for a long period of time. But I’d be worried about that,” Hawks great Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch. “They’re vulnerable and that’s all opposing teams need. They went through this stage of invincibility, where it was like: ‘Wow, this is the best side in the competition by so far’. They don’t look like that at the moment. They’re still the best side, but not by as much as at the start of the season.”

“I find it Bland” – Mike’s observations | 01:05

ST KILDA v MELBOURNE

Sunday July 27, 3.15pm at Marvel Stadium

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 3pm on Channel 504, with commentary from Dwayne Russell, Kelli Underwood, Dermott Brereton, Nick Dal Santo, Ruby Schleicher & David Zita.

Saints’ burning question: Is NWM set to be unleashed as a permanent mid now?

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is adding dollars to his next contract – wherever that may be – with each passing week. While the silky superstar has blossomed across half back this season, he got a season-high 79 per cent Centre Bounce Attendances (CBAs) in last week’s loss to Geelong after 43 per cent CBAs – his third-most for the year – the week prior against Sydney. Wanganeen-Milera went into beast mode against the Cats, racking up 36 disposals, eight marks, two goals and a career-best 10 clearances. You sense the 22-year old will stay in the midfield now – perhaps pending on matchups – where the sky is the limit for what he could do in these final few rounds. And that might mean St Kilda and the South Australian clubs targeting him need to dig deeper into their funds.

Scott: “The games too long, full stop” | 05:32

Demons’ burning question: Which stars are willing to fight it out? … and which aren’t?

While Melbourne’s season is over, we’re going to learn plenty about which of its stars are up for the fight and fully committed to the cause as uncertainty surrounds some big names. Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver were both linked to trade talk 12 months ago, while the likes of Jake Lever and Bayley Fritsch have also been rumoured as potential candidates to seek a move elsewhere. The Dees have dropped six of their last seven games and don’t have their first-round pick in the 2025 draft, so they’re essentially playing for pride and to uphold high standards at this point. From performance, to leadership, body language and everything in between, we might get a good idea over these final few rounds as to which stars are aligned with what Melbourne is building and this regeneration and Simon Goodwin – and which have checked out.